Bill 25

                    Current Status
Introducing Body:               Senate
Bill Number:                    25
Ratification Number:            423
Act Number:                     377
Primary Sponsor:                Bryan
Type of Legislation:            GB
Subject:                        Mental illness, health
                                coverage
Companion Bill Number:          3012
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19940428
Computer Document Number:       NO5/8731BD.93
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19940510
Introduced Date:                19930112
Date of Last Amendment:         19940309
Last History Body:              ------
Last History Date:              19940510
Last History Type:              Act No. 377
Scope of Legislation:           Statewide
All Sponsors:                   Bryan
                                Hayes
Type of Legislation:            General Bill

Bill   Body    Date          Action Description              CMN  Leg Involved
----   ------  ------------  ------------------------------  ---  ------------
25     ------  19940510      Act No. 377
25     ------  19940510      Signed by Governor
25     ------  19940504      Ratified R 423
25     House   19940428      Read third time, enrolled for
                             ratification
25     House   19940427      Read second time
25     House   19940413      Committee Report: Favorable     26
25     House   19940322      Introduced, read first time,    26
                             referred to Committee
25     Senate  19940317      Read third time, sent to House
25     Senate  19940309      Amended, read second time
25     Senate  19940303      Polled out of Committee:        02
                             Favorable with amendment
25     Senate  19930112      Introduced, read first time,    02
                             referred to Committee

(A377, R423, S25)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-737 SO AS TO REQUIRE AN OFFER OF COVERAGE FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS IN GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES AND DEFINE "PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS".

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Requirement of coverage for psychiatric conditions

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 38-71-737. (A) An offer to sell a group health insurance policy must include an offer of an optional rider or endorsement to provide benefits for psychiatric conditions as defined in this section. The offer of coverage may contain provisions prescribing different benefits for psychiatric conditions and physical conditions with respect to any deductible amount, coinsurance provision, or contract term affecting benefit determinations based upon use or nonuse of preferred providers.

(B) The offer of an optional rider or endorsement for a group health insurance policy must provide minimum benefits for psychiatric conditions not less than two thousand dollars for each member for each benefit year with a lifetime maximum benefit of ten thousand dollars.

(C) This section does not prohibit an insurer from issuing or continuing to issue a health insurance policy which provides benefits greater than the minimum benefits required by this section or benefits generally more favorable to the insured than those required by this section.

(D) As used in this section, `psychiatric conditions' means those mental and nervous conditions, drug and substance addiction or abuse, alcoholism, or other conditions that are defined, described, or classified as psychiatric disorders or conditions in the most current publication of the American Psychiatric Association entitled `The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 10th day of May, 1994.